The Sorting

The Sorting

Renee stood in line with everyone else. In her own mind though she was all alone. Professor McGonagall brought out the stool and sorting hat. The hat began to sing. Renee was not listening, though. Her thoughts were on what house she would go into.

"I personally was in Ravenclaw," Uncle Richard explained. "Gryffindor isn't bad either."

Renee had been pleased the day her letter arrived from Hogwarts. Her parents were Muggles, and while she knew her uncle was a wizard she had not expected to be magical. It had in fact been one of the better days of her life. Gryffindor sounds good, she thought. I wonder if they teach time spells at Hogwarts, thought Renee. Her mind drifted back to a most painful subject.

Renee remembered the day her brother, Donald, died. He had been going to football practice with his best friend. A large truck had run a stop sign and hit the vehicle broadside. A policeman had come with the bad news. Renee couldn't believe it. Her fourteen-year-old brother, dead? Her mother, Claire had sobbed for hours on end. Renee just couldn't accept it.

After the funeral, Renee had gone to bed right away. She was starting to comprehend the fact she wouldn't be speaking to her brother anytime soon. She did not shed a tear for her brother. The next morning around eleven o'clock she went into her parents' bedroom. Her father, Alexander, had gone to work early when she was asleep. Renee was looking to comfort her mother. In the sunlit room, Renee saw her mother in the bed. Her mother's blond hair cascaded on the pillow.

Renee had shaken her mother slightly. Something was wrong and she could tell as soon as she touched her. She's too cold. Renee shook her harder. Her mother had to wake up! Renee was trying to deny it, but the logical portion of her brain knew already that her mother was dead, of suicide.

The sorting hat was done singing now. Professor McGonagall started calling off students' names. Renee brushed her long brown hair out of her eyes. Just a matter of time before it',s my turn she thought. I hope I get Gryffindor.

Finally McGonagall called Davis, Renee. The short girl walked quickly with long strides to the stool. The hat was placed on her head.

"A very complex mind," a voice in her ear said. "You have seen much more then a child of your age should,"

You got that right, Renee thought. Renee's mind flashed back to her mother's funeral.

"I see Hufflepuff would not work for you. Slytherin you would fit in, but I do not think it would do well for your personality."

Renee lay on her bed. She was thinking of her mother and brother. Her mother had been weak. Her mother had not meant to hurt her. Her mother had not been able to rise above her son's death. Sure it was horrible, but a strong person should be able to get over it.

I need power, thought Renee. The only way for me to overcome losing people is to be powerful enough to stop my loved ones from dying in the first place. I am a strong person. I will not be weak like my mother.

"In Slytherin, I think some of your less desirable thoughts and feelings would take control of you and ruin you. Ravenclaw, you have the right traits for, but I do not think you would fit in well with them. They tend to form little groups of friends that all think alike. You are one of a kind."

Renee sat alone in the schoolyard. All of her schoolmates ran around having fun. She did not join them. All that can happen if I join them is I will get hurt, she thought. If I am friendly towards them they will go away. I don't need friends. All they can do is cause pain.

They don't like me anyways. I'm the weirdo who is too smart for her own good. They will just gossip about me if I open up to them. If I tell them I don't make friends because they will end up hurting you they will spread rumors about me being paranoid. I am paranoid, but they don't need to know that.

"I think the best place for you would be GRYFFINDOR! They will accept you there."

My mother was weak, but a good person. Renee sat alone in her room. I have taken blows, but I can overcome them without power. I can make friends and not be hurt. A friend can really care about you without hurting you. I am ready to start over. I can be normal again. I can come out of my shell and take whatever life throws at me without these walls in my mind to protect me.

Renee walked quickly to the applauding Gryffindor table. She sat down next to a girl who had sat down at the table only moments before. The girl introduced herself, and Renee said hello back. Renee couldn't help thinking to herself that she could make it here at Hogwarts.